Interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle

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US007467883B2

(12) United States Patent

DeLine et al.

(io) Patent No.: (45) Date of Patent:

US 7,467,883 B2 *Dec. 23, 2008

(54) INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

(75) Inventors: Jonathan E. DeLine, Raleigh, NC (US);

Roger L. Veldman, Hudsonville, MI
(US); Niall R. Lynam, Holland, MI (US)

(73) Assignee: Donnelly Corporation, Holland, MI
(US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(21) Appl.No.: 11/935,808

(22) Filed: Nov. 6, 2007

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2008/0089081 Al Apr. 17, 2008

Related U.S. Application Data

(60) Continuation of application No. 11/835,088, filed on Aug. 7, 2007, now Pat. No. 7,311,428, which is a continuation of application No. 11/498,663, filed on Aug. 3, 2006, now Pat. No. 7,255,465, which is a continuation of application No. 11/064,294, filed on Feb. 23, 2005, now Pat. No. 7,108,409, which is a continuation of application No. 10/739,766, filed on Dec. 18, 2003, now Pat. No. 6,877,888, which is a continuation of application No. 10/134,775, filed on Apr. 29, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,672,744, which is a continuation of application No. 09/526,151, filed on Mar. 15, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,386,742, which is a division of application No. 08/918,772, filed on Aug. 25, 1997, now Pat. No. 6,124,886.

(58) Field of Classification Search 362/494;

340/438,461,525,815.4; 280/735; 701/29, 701/45; 248/549 See application file for complete search history.

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

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(Continued)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS DE 9306989.8 7/1993

(Continued)

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

N.R. Lynam, "Electrochromic Automotive Day/Night Mirror," SAE Technical Paper Series, 870636 (1987).

(Continued)

Primary Examiner—Sandra L. O'Shea

Assistant Examiner—Meghan K. Dunwiddie

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Van Dyke, Gardner, Linn &

Burkhart LLP

A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having one of (a) a variable reflectance reflective element and (b) a prismatic reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a CMOS video microchip having, when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, a field of view though the windshield forward of the vehicle and the interior rearview mirror assembly comprises electronic circuitry responsive to an input from the video microchip, the circuitry preferably controlling at least one headlamp of the vehicle. The mirror assembly may contain other accessories such as a compass sensor disposed in the mirror housing in the mirror housing behind and supported by the reflective element such that adjustment about at least one pivot joint by the driver to set the rearward field view of the reflective element moves the compass sensor in tandem with movement of the reflective element.

31 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

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* cited by examiner